“Small businesses have moved beyond wondering if they should use AI—they're determining how fast they can implement it,” said Grant Freeman, president of Thryv, following the company’s 2025 AI and Small Business survey. The data backs it up: current usage jumped from 39% in 2024 to 55% in 2025—a 41% increase. For leaders focused on growth and digital strategy, the message is clear: AI is no longer optional.
Where SMBs Are Using AI
Among current AI users in the Thryv survey, 63% use AI daily. Top applications include data analysis (62%), content generation (55%), and customer engagement tools like chatbots (46%). Marketing and content creation are among the fastest-growing use cases—directly in line with how digital marketing and AI solutions can support SMBs.
Time and Money Saved
Fifty-eight percent of small business AI users report saving over 20 hours per month, and 66% say AI saves their business between $500 and $2,000 monthly. Those gains are often reinvested into process improvement, customer acquisition, and technology upgrades—exactly the kind of propel, transform, optimize cycle that sustains long-term growth.
Why SMBs See AI as Essential
Eighty percent of small business users believe AI is essential to reaching new customers; 78% say it’s necessary to meet consumer expectations for speed and personalization. Data security concerns, meanwhile, decreased 40% year over year in the same survey—suggesting that as tools mature, adoption barriers are falling.
What to Do Next
If you’re still on the fence, the trend is against waiting. Adoption is especially strong among companies with 10–100 employees (usage there jumped from 47% to 68% year-over-year) and in professional services and retail. The question is no longer whether to use AI, but how to implement it in a way that aligns with your brand and goals. A unified partner that combines strategy, marketing, and technology can help you move faster without spreading effort across disconnected vendors.
For more on how we help businesses grow through digital and AI-driven solutions, explore our blog and services.
Sources
- AI Adoption Among Small Businesses Surges 41% in 2025 (Business Wire / Thryv) — Survey methodology, quote from Grant Freeman, and all adoption and savings statistics cited above.
- Top digital marketing trends and predictions for 2025 (Think with Google) — Broader context on AI agents and 2025 marketing trends.